Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Fall TV Preview: FOX

Day Three of the Fall TV Preview...

FOX
BROTHERS
SUMMARY: Three-camera sitcom with ex-football player Michael Strahan playing an ex-football player. Wow. It's like method acting in reverse. [Tip to aspiring actors: Don't go to drama school, work in community theater, take bit parts in low-budget films if you want to be on a TV show. Just play in the NFL.]
ANALYSIS: The promos indicate the show is simply a series of jokes about the gap between Michael Strahan's front teeth. If this is their plan for success, may I also suggest casting Lauren Hutton, David Letterman and Madonna. [Breaking News: Just saw that Lisa Lampanelli is on the show. There's a joke in there somewhere, but this is a PG-rated website.]
PREDICTION: It got the less-than-coveted Friday night at 8 p.m. spot. The vultures are already circling.


THE CLEVELAND SHOW
SUMMARY: Family Guy with...how to put this in terms that won't risk getting bounced out of Hollywood altogether...the same basic characters. Yes, I said it. Seth MacFarlane is ripping himself off again (see American Dad).
ANALYSIS: The main joke is the five-year old is essentially John Shaft in training diapers. Oh, and did I mention they're gonna merchandise the hell out of it?
PREDICTION: It'll be one of those shows that'll never go away. And just wait until Rallo comes up with some annoying catch phrase like, "What is that of which you speak Willis?"


FOX also has a couple mid-season dramas that I'll look at when the time comes. But if press releases are any indication, Human Target will be "a full-throttle, action-packed thrill ride" and Past Life will be "a fast-paced emotional thriller." Oh wait, those were quotes from the press release. [Former Marketing Exec says: The more adjectives used to describe a product, the worse it usually is. See Example A.]

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